Victor Osimhen has lashed out former Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George over his recent comment questioning his commitment to the Super Eagles.
Osimhen pulled out of Nigeria’s squad for the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin due to injury.
Finidi maintained that the former Lille striker could still have managed to play the two matches.
The Super Eagles held Bafana Bafana to a 1-1 draw at home and lost 2-1 away to the Cheetahs.
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“I asked Finidi George to allow me stay with the players in the camp, but Finidi asked me not to bother that I should stay with my family,” he reacted on Instagram.
“Now after two bad games, everybody is now blaming me.
“I know how many injuries I’ve played with for Nigeria and I played my heart out but after two bad games, everybody is attacking me.”
Finidi resigned from his position as Super Eagles head coach on Saturday.
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An incompetent workman always blames his tools.
Finidi blamed even Osimhen (who wasn’t even in camp) for not being able to defeat Benin republic on a neutral ground…..LMAOoo.
The coward could not take responsibility for turning an AFCON silver winning team to Enyimba feeders team within the space of 4 months.
He deserves everything coming his way now.
Bro, the way this whole fiasco has unfolded completely justifies our skepticism about Finidi’s appointment.
From his first games, it was clear he was in over his head. Benching six foreign-based players in two friendly matches? Seriously? And some people think this is normal. Friendly matches are supposed to be a chance to evaluate all your players and try out new tactics. So why concentrate on some while benching the rest? These players left their clubs, risked their careers, and traveled all the way to play. And what did they get? A cozy spot on the bench with zero explanation? And we expect them to eagerly jump on the next plane to play for Nigeria while this guy is still in charge?
I said it: many players deliberately opted out of the recent matches. Forget those flimsy excuses. Osimhen’s outburst was a reflection of the deep animosity within the team toward Finidi. He wasn’t just a bad coach; he was a terrible man-manager too!
So, let me ask again: on what basis was Finidi appointed as the Super Eagles coach? This is a guy whose highest coaching reputation was managing Enyimba, a team that’s neither dominant in the Nigerian league nor impressive on the continent. In their misguided rush to prioritize a “made-in-Nigeria” coach, they brought in a complete rookie to manage the Super Eagles at a time when the team desperately needed redemption in the World Cup qualifying series. It’s disgraceful and unbelievable. Whoever made this decision—the NFF or the Minister—owes us a huge apology.
And let’s be honest, did they think they were hiring a football genius or just someone they could push around? Someone to order around like a busboy, who they could impose players on, whose salary they could nibble at? The whole thing is a joke. I’m not really surprised at all at way it all ended between the parties involved. And now that Finidi is out of the way -I heard he resigned his appointment today – we.will all wait with bated breath to view the next episode of NFF’s comedy series.
Hahahaha….Finidi chained 6 players to the bench over 2 friendly matches, but his Ihafu FC of Tanzania boy even started against eternal rivals Ghana…..LMAOoo.
Osimhen….I beg nothing do you jare…. You have done nothing wrong…..Anyone with good sensibilities will not attack you. We know you are injured and we know what you have done in the past….I beg be at peace with yourself….
I like as everything scatter like this. I believe with this kind of drama, NFF will not dare give the SE job to any local Coach again.
Cold Martel for you osimhen, you do well. Continue to drag am like Tiger generator sheybi he said e no get sense ni. Yeye Coach
The SE??? On a football post ???
What’s wrong with SE? We all know the meaning
What’s wrong with SE? We all know the meaning
This is the problem of Nigerian player the don’t respect their coaches , how could a player do this in europe? How can you say as a student that you don’t respect your teacher. This shows lack of education of this players that think that the ate super stars. This players lack basic education all l can see is that the are arogant and that will lead them to nowhere even if the are excelent players.
Please show where Finidi respected Osimhen or Nathan Tella. Respect is reciprocal o.
You dey mind the comment.
He said he video called Finidi in the presence of his doctor yet Finidi lied and was looking for who to blame and you are still blaming Osimhen.
Wharisdis? Go google coach and player saga online and see film. e.g Balotelli/Mancin, Aguero/ Guardiola, what about Pogba Mourinho etc you dey here dey speak English “How could a player do this in Europe “ Noo! May him sit down they am dey drag him name all in the name of respect.
In one of my posts after Benin defeated Nigeria, I had said that one of the reasons why Nigeria lost that match was because the players don’t respect Finidi (or any local coach for that matter). Remember what Osaze Odewenghie said some time ago, he said, “oyinbo na oyinbo.” These players train under oyinbo and local coaches and they know the difference. To be sincere, the difference is like day and night.
I had said the day Finidi dragged jersey with Moses Simon after super eagles international friendly with Portugal was the day he lost his respect from all super eagles players. He also made matters worse by refusing to use Nathan Tella in an international friendly where he had opportunity to assess new and promising players for super eagles. Little wonder Nathan Tella excused himself from the super eagles last two matches. How can Tella come and play for Finidi that does not regard him. How can the players play their heart out for Finidi with all his wrong antecedents.
Honestly our local coaches are not wise at all, at least if we consider all these new generation of coaches (some of us call them the 1994 set of super eagles players but I believe it also includes all former players from 1994 till date). All these ex players right from 1994 need to go and investigate how coaches like Festus Onigbinde, Chris Udemeze, Paul Hamilton, Tunde Disu, Amodu Shuaib, and Stephen Keshi (an excellent exception from these 1994 set) got the best out of our players at their disposal during their own time. At least if these so called egocentric coaches don’t know where they are going, they should know where they are coming from.
Not until our local coaches agree that they don’t know much about coaching (if they know, they would have won African champions league or Confederations cup a long time ago), update and upgrade their knowledge about coaching, and humble themselves, they will continue to struggle whenever they are appointed as super eagles coaches. Its that simple.
Josh Men… You are highly favoured. May you walk and never stumble. Thumbs up Brotherman for this opinion.
I will never subscribe to the saying that our indigenous coaches are not good enough to manage the Super Eagles. With many of them, like Siasia, Emmanuel Amunike, Keshi and Finidi George having played at the biggest level and under top managers in Europe with their level of exposure, it’ll be preposterous to conclude that they do not competence to manage the Super Eagles while their counterparts in Senegal, North African and elsewhere successfully manage their teams. Need I mention that Cisse of Senegal that we knew as a tough biting nail midfielder might not be more tactically astute than our own Emmanuel Amunike and the likes of Samson Siasia or Oliseh but he’s been able to record outstanding results with the Terenga Lions of Senegal largely due to the respect and cooperation from the players. Do you think given his coaching pedigree before he joined Senegal he would have succeeded with the Super Eagles if he was a Nigerian. These crop of ego bloated players would have made his life miserable.
I know for a fact that the major issue with many African coaches is man management which many would call emotional intelligence and social competences, and that’s the area where the foreign coaches stand out,but truth be told they’re offshoot of our socio political systems,so on that basis, we can cut them some slack.
The aforementioned coaches mentioned like chief Festus Onigbinde coached way back in 1984 when majority of our players were based in Nigeria, only a springle of them were based in Europe, so it’s hard to make that conclusion. Remember back in 2002 world cup, when majority of the players were snubbed following their dismal and disappointing conducts at Mali 2002 under taciturn Coach Shaibu Amodu, the likes of Taribo West who eventually went to the mundial later criticised Onigbinde for his tactics, so you now imagine what would have been the case if the disbanded players had all gone to the world cup. The players had grown bigger than the coach and influence many decisions of the coach.
In a nutshell, it’ll take more than emotional competence or tactical astuteness for a homegrown coach to manage the Super Eagles especially in the present time. And that’s my submission
I understand the angle you’re coming from. But do you honestly think that most of these local coaches have covered themselves in glory? I really don’t think so. Finidi did not cover himself in glory at all. Rather than take full responsibility of the poor results Nigeria got against South Africa and Benin, he decides to blame Osimhen. A player who is injured and never played in the two said matches. I think that is a very poor man management by Finidi. What he needed to do was to have apologized to Nigerians, take full responsibility for the two poor results, tell us he has learnt his lessons, and hope for the best with NFF as regarding his position as super eagles coach (obviously there are some section of Nigerian football fans who still wanted him to remain as the coach). He did not do this. Rather, he deflects and blames other people for his own failure. Herein lies the problem and the reason why the players won’t regard him one bit. First it was Lookmon, then Tella. Now it is Osimhen. This trend could not just be allowed to continue.
It is also a known fact that our local coaches collect bribe to field players. Sometimes, players are selected to the super eagles based on the highest bidder philosophy, god fatherism, and “yes sir” ideology. Those super eagles players who don’t support this nepotism see all this things and just bid their time before bursting out or opening up the can of worms bedeviling our football. Whoever doubt this should go and watch Ruben Agboola’s interview. Many other former players have also decried these practices. But we don’t take them as important because Nigeria somehow continues to grind out results.
Any local coach who wants to brag or command the respect of all our foreign players should first go and win African champions league. Then win the CHAN competition or at a minimum win gold, silver, or bronze at the Olympics football. He should also run far away from bribery and corruption regarding invitation and selection of players to national teams. Then the players will respect him. It is not enough to be an excellent former super eagles player. You must also prove that you have what it takes to coach the super eagles. You do this by achieving results because it is results that matter and without it, a coach is as good as a goner.
Finidi had every opportunity to beat South Africa and Benin but he blew it himself due to I too know attitude,he had Boniface in camp but chose onuachu over him,he had Ekong,omeruo, Balogun to choose from but he chose Ajayi Bassey who failed woefully under paseiro who lives to play attacking football but had to go defensive and brought back Ekong,that why I knew that finidi learnt nothing from him apart from collecting salary,I’m glad he’s been disgraced out of office and his players are now humiliating him..NFF should know that no local coach can coach these super Eagles players,any local coach should be given the job to coach the CHAN Eagles,if he succeeds,he can earn some respect from the players but hoping to be respected by these rich money miss road boys,that ain’t gonna happen
This is similar situation with Oliseh and Enyeama.
Indigenous coaches simply lack the charisma and managerial qualities to manage the egos of the Super Eagles.
That’s why I am always against the hiring of local coaches for the Eagles. It never ends well. There is definitely going to be a collision. It is all about when.
Are all those people calling for local coaches taken notes. Just as Oliseh left us at a precarious situation and caused a premature retirement of one of the most experienced player (Enyeama), Finidi just pulled almost similar stunt. If I hear you call for one Amunike or ex-nonsense, mafepe pa’ya e. Awon ‘Our Own’ oloribu Tema npariwo Kiri niyen.
Overrated players everywhere. If not bi Finidi wey enter coaching yawa with Nigeria, which set of the present super Eagles play reach Finidi George. Abeg go rest man, and grow up. Football nor bi power jare, we saw the last AFCON.
Go check Finidi George goal against Algeria for Algiers wey qualify Nigeria for USA ’94 and his goal against Greece at the world cup.
I don’t usually get involved in derogatory remarks but this annoying. Many of our players need to grow up.
What’s all these tantrums.
Granted Finidi George is not experienced at this level, but he’s offered his best to the Super Eagles within the shortest time he was engaged
After all, we all saw Pesiero im his first games as manager before AFCON where he turned the tide. I have maintained that I’m optimally cautious with hiring a manager with few weeks to major assignments as a world cup qualifier.
But the question is, is the coach to blame for Terem Moffi’s lack of focus and failure to score against South Africa in Uyo or what opportunity can be better than that? The same Boniface who was never considered a starter for Bayer Leverkusen in the closing games of the season is the one everyone’s blaming Finidi George for not starting. How should not starting Boniface Victor responsible for the team’s draw. In what way did he affect the game against Benin. I think our players are just overrated. Just look at the defensive blunders against Benin. Did anybody ask about Ndidi’s contribution in both legs.
If not that Finidi George ventured into the coaching role with the national team, football wise, none of these present set come close in terms of football IQ not even Osimhen, ranting and shouting Finidi George in discourteous manner. Abeg, football is nor bi agbara, na IQ. Even in the days of vintage Eagles oozing with so much talents and qualities, we never had such indecent mindless language and utterances.
Nigeria players have always had a penchant for disregarding a homegrown talents nor bi today and it’s nothing to do with George’s inexperience at this level. Same thing happened with the likes of Sunday Oliseh even Stephen Keshi. Recently, we heard what Siasia said about Mikel Obi’s arrogance. This is not to excuse the excesses of the indigenous coaches sometimes but our foreign based players need to learn to respect homegrown coaches like their foreign counterparts, otherwise this would be the last time an indigenous coach would offer self for a Super Eagles job. If Emmanuel Amunike was appointed, the same fate he would have suffered from players’ insubordination and arrogance. In fact, many of the players would be averse to his football tactics as he would be deemed to strict and difficult but they dare not test the boundaries of a foreign manager.
Now that NFF has woken up from slumber and are ready to get the presidency’s backing or the finances to hire a foreign manager, let the players put on their thinking hat and their scoring boots and win the remaining games to secure our world cup ticket, excuses will not be entertained that Finidi George supervised a team who lost 3 points against Benin.
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This is bad
Finidi did nit do well in his shirt stint as coach but Osimhen is classless, haba! The funny thing is that this foolish boy does not know he is hurting himself. With this outburst suitors will look elsewhere. If he does not get a new club soon, conte will show him pepper.
It is OK to stand up for yourself but he did not display any decorum. Has he even ascertained the veracity of finidi’s claim before opening his mouth anyhow.
If I was NFF , I will block him from the team. Even though Finidi is yet to own up to claims, this dude has actually proved that there is indeed indiscipline in the team. How can you be talking to your Boss like this! See the way he is even calling his name and fans are supporting such outburst. This guy needs to be banned, no player is bigger than the country. Who does this guy think he is! Are we not Africans anymore? What happened to our values? Osimhen is the only player in the history who will show so much disrespect to the national team, I can not think of any. Maybe Onyekuru with his ” Ilu Oshi” comment. Look at the way this dude is talking to fans, saying “Ogun loma pa yin”, NATIONAL TEAM!
It shows the decay in the team. Can an England player dare talk like that? Mbappe will not make such outburst. Anyway, it is not his fault, it is the rudderless leadership Gusau and cohorts have provided. His outburst proves finidi right.
Honestly, Osimhen just need to calm down as he’s got a lot to learn and avoid allowing his emotions to get the better of him all the time. His reactions from this video speak volumes, it’s a strong indication of many unspoken words in the team among the players. In any case, Finidi George is out of way now, let them all do the needful ooooo. Since Finidi George is their worries. He’s also to blame for their failure to make it to the last world cup.
I hope Osimhen Victor has a manager, truth be told he hasn’t achieved anything in the national team and I hope he getting the right advice from the right quarters. Hopefully, he’s coming to England and he’ll be better advised to conduct himself appropriately. This ranting is a bad taste and unwelcoming.
He shouldn’t have responded to Finidi even if it is confirmed that Finidi made the statement. I don’t know what his media team is doing. He is always messing things up online. If this situation happened in his club, will he ever react like this. Never! Sometimes character is more important than talent or skills. The people managing Osimehin should do better. He is an international figure and a role model that should show class all the time.
What do you expect from a cry baby. Would you try such against your coach at napoli. Go ask kelechi when he defiled his coach. Did you hear Finidi come out to say such. Let him bring out the proof he said such. Say may he came out at Ikpeba, and you talk about having respect. very funny. Where is the class that you have now. Things you will not try with your so called oyinbo coaches. Making yourself indispensable. I know more will come out this
I Have been folling the threads since this news broke just to see the general thought process of the Nigerian mind and I must say I am very ashamed at some people on this platform supporting Osimhen’s Disgusting Rant online…who Told you people, Finidi is social media savy like Osimhen?. That is the problem with you this generation your reasoning skills are zero because you spend your days stuck on your phone screens for Social media threads. Point of correction the News broke and same day or that evening, Osimhen Jumped to attack Finidi, why?.. Why did he not Call Finidi first to find out if the allegations are true?. I will tell you why, Because he feels to proud and fame has got to his head, We all know how we felt watching Osimhen play the final game of the season, 25 mins against Lecce seeing him Clearly walking properly without injury only to come out with an Injured Report, I personally Qestioned Peseiro for his Overuse of Osimhen in A hot Ivory Coast playing him Injured in some games, so yes Osimhen’s Last memories of Playing for Nigeria are quite Traumatic especially in Hot and Sticky Ivory Coast where the Benin game Was scheduled to be held. Anyone notice a media out let saying Osimhen reason for the omission from SA v Benin qualifiers, was down to an Abdominal problem?. same Problem he faced against Angola at AFCON which made him start the SA game in AFCON semi’s with an Abdominal problem as well as the Final not fully healed but played Almost 90 mins of both games injured and still losing the final, that must be traumatising for any player and on this issue I will agree that yes Osimhen asked to be excused and he and Finidi were both aware he was not injured but just needed a rest of period of Grace from SE which is understandle after a grueling start to the year at AFCON by a coach who overworked the team. Also Osimhen must know how dangerous and conniving the Nigeria Media can be with Websites like OwngoalNigeria and others Making up damaging false stories and We are all aware of the misleading story headlines by Nigeria Platforms of which @CSN is also guilty off. That being said
OSIMHEN IS NOT BIGGER THAN NIGERIA AND IT IS SITUATIONS LIKE THESE,IF NOT HANDLED PROPERLY, THAT MAKE PLAYERS FEEL BIGGER THAN COACHES OR A TEAM. OSIMHEN SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR THIS SO HE HUMBLES HIMSELF AND LEARNS IT IS THAT SIMPLE!
I Have been folling the threads since this news broke just to see the general thought process of the Nigerian mind and I must say I am very ashamed at some people on this platform supporting Osimhen’s Disgusting Rant online…who Told you people, Finidi is social media savy like Osimhen?. That is the problem with you this generation your reasoning skills are zero because you spend your days stuck on your phone screens for Social media threads you feel the older generation people in their 50’s do the same. Point of correction the News broke and same day or that evening, Osimhen Jumped to attack Finidi, why?.. Why did he not Call Finidi first to find out if the allegations are true?. I will tell you why, Because he feels to proud and fame has got to his head, We all know how we felt watching Osimhen play the final game of the season, 25 mins against Lecce seeing him Clearly walking properly without injury only to come out with an Injured Report, I personally Qestioned Peseiro for his Overuse of Osimhen in A hot Ivory Coast playing him Injured in some games, so yes Osimhen’s Last memories of Playing for Nigeria are quite Traumatic especially in Hot and Sticky Ivory Coast where the Benin game Was scheduled to be held. Anyone notice a media out let saying Osimhen reason for the omission from SA v Benin qualifiers, was down to an Abdominal problem?. same Problem he faced against Angola at AFCON which made him start the SA game in AFCON semi’s with an Abdominal problem as well as the Final not fully healed but played Almost 90 mins of both games injured and still losing the final, that must be traumatising for any player and on this issue I will agree that yes Osimhen asked to be excused and he and Finidi were both aware he was not injured but just needed a rest of period of Grace from SE which is understandle after a grueling start to the year at AFCON by a coach who overworked the team. Also Osimhen must know how dangerous and conniving the Nigeria Media can be with Websites like OwngoalNigeria and others Making up damaging false stories and We are all aware of the misleading story headlines by Nigeria Platforms of which @CSN is also guilty off. That being said
OSIMHEN IS NOT BIGGER THAN NIGERIA AND IT IS SITUATIONS LIKE THESE,IF NOT HANDLED PROPERLY, THAT MAKE PLAYERS FEEL BIGGER THAN COACHES OR A TEAM. OSIMHEN SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR THIS SO HE HUMBLES HIMSELF AND LEARNS IT IS THAT SIMPLE!
Kai Ugo with this post of yours sometimes I wonder why we are always having beef on this platform…very brilliant comment…see from now henceforth I got you covered from anyone that tries to beef… honestly I didn’t expect this from you… people that I expected to stand against such behaviour from osimhen people like DR DREY and DR BANKS people that I have been looking up to disappointed me…
I mean FINIDI never mentioned osimhen …he only said he cannot beg anybody to play for his fatherland when being asked about the commitment of the players in the team and camp…he never said osimhen was not committed…even the people in the press conference confirmed that finidi never mentioned osimhen name but osimhen like a child just jumped and start ranting when there are better ways to show his anger.
Where are all this lies coming from…